Towards outstanding lubricity performance of proton-type ionic liquids or synergistic effects with friction modifiers used as oil additives at the steel/steel interface.

Anti-wear (AW) additives and friction modifiers (FMs) and their interactions in lubricants are critical to tribological performance. This research investigates the compatibility and synergism of three oil-soluble alkylamine-phosphate ionic liquids with friction modifiers, organomolybdenum compounds. Three proton-based ionic liquids (PILs) were synthesized using a simple, low-cost, and unadulterated procedure as well as the chain lengths of the PILs affected the effectiveness of friction reduction and anti-wear. For example, the effect of a short-chain PIL alone as an additive on friction and wear behavior was not significant, whereas a long-chain PIL was more effective. In addition, PILs appeared to be able to coexist with organic molybdenum compounds and worked synergistically with dialkyl dithiophosphate oxygen molybdenum (MoDDP) to produce a sustained low coefficient of boundary friction (the coefficient of friction approaching 0.042). We proposed a three-stage tribochemical process to explain this interaction of PILs + MoDDP with contact surfaces to form physically adsorbed friction-reducing films and chemically reactive wear-protective films. This study reveals the compatibility and synergistic effects of two common lubricant components, which can be used to guide lubricant development in the future.

A 24-to-30 GHz Ultra-High-Linearity Down-Conversion Mixer for 5G Applications Using a New Linearization Method.

The linearity of active mixers is usually determined by the input transistors, and many works have been proposed to improve it by modified input stages at the cost of a more complex structure or more power consumption. A new linearization method of active mixers is proposed in this paper; the input 1 dB compression point (IP1dB) and output 1 dB compression point (OP1dB) are greatly improved by exploiting the "reverse uplift" phenomenon. Compared with other linearization methods, the proposed one is simpler, more efficient, and sacrifices less conversion gain. Using this method, an ultra-high-linearity double-balanced down-conversion mixer with wide IF bandwidth is designed and fabricated in a 130 nm SiGe BiCMOS process. The proposed mixer includes a Gilbert-cell, a pair of phase-adjusting inductors, and a Marchand-balun-based output network. Under a 1.6 V supply voltage, the measurement results show that the mixer exhibits an excellent IP1dB of +7.2~+10.1 dBm, an average OP1dB of +5.4 dBm, which is the state-of-the-art linearity performance in mixers under a silicon-based process, whether active or passive. Moreover, a wide IF bandwidth of 8 GHz from 3 GHz to 11 GHz was achieved. The circuit consumes 19.8 mW and occupies 0.48 mm2, including all pads. The use of the "reverse uplift" allows us to implement high-linearity circuits more efficiently, which is helpful for the design of 5G high-speed communication transceivers.

In Vitro Anti-Influenza A Virus H1N1 Effect of Sesquiterpene-Rich Extracts of Carpesium abrotanoides.

Due to a high content of sesquiterpenes, Carpesium abrotanoides has been investigated to fully explore its health-promoting properties. Therefore, this work aimed to assess, for the first time, the anti-influenza A virus H1N1 potential of sesquiterpene-targeted fractions of the herb derived from C. abrotanoides. Five compounds, including four sesquiterpenes and one aldehyde, were isolated and identified from the sesquiterpene-rich extracts of C. abrotanoides (SECA), and the contents of three main sesquiterpenes in the SECA were determined. Furthermore, SECA showed a significant protective effect in the MDCK cells infected with influenza A virus (H1N1) in three different conditions: premixed administration, prophylactic administration, and therapeutic administration. SECA can significantly decrease the mRNA expressions of TLR4, MyD88, NF-κB, TNF-α, and IL-6, as well as the protein expressions of TLR4, MyD88, and NF-κB. This result suggests that SECA can resist the influenza A virus H1N1 through the TLR4/MyD88/NF-κB signal pathway.

LncRNA MSC-AS1 facilitates lung adenocarcinoma through sponging miR-33b-5p to up-regulate GPAM.

Many reports have indicated that long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) are closely associated with the occurrence and development of various cancers. Musculin antisense RNA 1 (MSC-AS1) is a an lncRNA known to act as an oncogene in several types of human cancers; however, its specific function in lung adenocarcinoma (LUAD) is still unclear. For this study, we designed and conducted experiments to clarify the function of the lncRNA MSC-AS1 in LUAD and its underlying mechanisms. We found that the expression of MSC-AS1 was significantly higher in LUAD tissues and cells than that in normal ones. Through loss-of function assays, we confirmed that the proliferation of LUAD cells was significantly restrained by down-regulation of MSC-AS1 and the rate of cell apoptosis was accelerated. The results from our mechanistic experiments showed that MSC-AS1 interacts with microRNA-33b-5p (miR-33b-5p). Moreover, glycerol-3-phosphate acyltransferase, mitochondrial (GPAM) was found to be a direct target gene of miR-33b-5p, and it has similar functions to MSC-AS1. Further, inhibition of miR-33b-5p or overexpression GPAM reversed the inhibitory effects of MSC-AS1 silencing on LUAD cell growth. In short, MSC-AS1 facilitates LUAD progression through sponging miR-33b-5p to up-regulate GPAM.

Effects of everolimus on tuberous sclerosis complex-associated renal angiomyolipoma: A preliminary report.

AIM: Tuberous sclerosis complex (TSC) presents with multisystem benign neoplasm induced by dysregulation of the mammalian target of rapamycin pathway. This study aimed to examine the effects of oral everolimus at either 2.5 or 5.0 mg daily on the treatment of TSC-associated renal angiomyolipoma (AML). METHODS: Between July 2012 and August 2015, patients with TSC-associated renal AML were selected for everolimus therapy protocol. An oral everolimus starting dose at 2.5 mg was administered daily, and was gradually increased to 5.0 mg daily. All patients were evaluated using magnetic resonance imaging or computed tomography scanning at baseline, 12, 24, and 36 months after the start of treatment for measuring the changes of renal AML mass volume. RESULTS: Eight patients were finally enrolled for analysis in this study. Everolimus treatment had a statistically significant effect on the renal AML volume reduction during follow-up (P < 0.05). Renal AML mass volume reduction rates were 10.5-45.3% in four patients with everolimus 2.5 mg and 40.7-73.1% in four patients with everolimus 5.0 mg daily; the difference was statistically significant between the two groups (P < 0.05). Longitudinal follow-up for response to everolimus showed volume reduction rates to be around 10.5-73.1% in the initial 6-24 months after everolimus treatment, which remained stable during follow-up up to 36 months. CONCLUSION: The results suggest that an oral everolimus is effective and provides a non-invasive way to treat TSC-associated renal AML, and patients are likely to require maintenance therapy to continue to derive benefit.

Association between the growth rate of subependymal giant cell astrocytoma and age in patients with tuberous sclerosis complex.

PURPOSE: The most common neurological complications associated with tuberous sclerosis complex (TSC) include intractable seizures that begin in infancy and subependymal giant cell astrocytoma (SEGA) complicated by hydrocephalus with increasing age. Information on SEGA growth of TSC patients is limited. This study aimed to examine the TSC-SEGA growth rates by periodic neuroimaging. METHODS: This study evaluated the TSC-SEGA growth rates by serial neuroimaging. Fifty-eight patients with TSC underwent systematic evaluation, including a review of medical history and serial brain neuroimaging. RESULTS: While magnetic resonance imaging was more sensitive in detecting cortical tubers than computed tomography (73.1 vs. 0 %, p < 0.001), its efficacy in identifying intracranial lesions was comparable to that of computed tomography (96.2 vs. 100 %, p = 0.658). Significant tumor growth was observed in children (p = 0.012) and adults (p = 0.028) during follow-up periods, respectively (median for children 23.5 months, interquartile range 18-40 months and median for adults 23 months, interquartile range 12-34 months). Further, the SEGA growth rate in children was significantly higher than that in adults (75.6 vs. 16.5 %, p = 0.03). CONCLUSIONS: The results of the study show that SEGA has a significantly higher growth rate in children using serial follow-up brain imaging, suggesting the importance of performing follow-up neuroimaging at yearly intervals in childhood to identify and prevent potential comorbidities.

Five new phorbol esters with cytotoxic and selective anti-inflammatory activities from Croton tiglium.

Five new phorbol esters, (four phorbol diesters, 1-4, and one 4-deoxy-4α-phorbol diester, 5), as well as four known phorbol esters analogues (6-9) were isolated and identified from the branches and leaves of Croton tiglium. Their structures were elucidated mainly by extensive NMR spectroscopic, and mass spectrometric analysis. Among them, compound (1) was the first example of a naturally occurring phorbol ester with the 20-aldehyde group. Compounds 2-5, and 7-9 showed potent cytotoxicity against the K562, A549, DU145, H1975, MCF-7, U937, SGC-7901, HL60, Hela, and MOLT-4 cell lines, with IC50 values ranging from 1.0 to 43 µM, while none of the compounds exhibited cytotoxic effects on normal human cell lines 293T and LX-2, respectively. In addition, compound 3 exhibited moderate COX-1 and COX-2 inhibition, with IC50 values of 0.14 and 8.5 µM, respectively.

[Efficacy of different methods of anesthesia on children underwent hypospadias surgery].

OBJECTIVE: To assess the efficacy of different methods of anesthesia on children underwent hypospadias surgery.
 METHODS: A total of 90 children (2-6 years old, 11.5-21.0 kg weight) with I or II grade of hypospadias based on ASA standard, who scheduled for hypospadias angioplasty, were randomly divided into 3 groups: Group I, general anesthesia combined epidural anesthesia; Group II, laryngeal mask airway under general anesthesia; Group III, laryngeal mask airway under general anesthesia combined epidural block. All children were inhaled sevoflurane to keep bispectral index value in a range from 45 and 60. The Group I adopted epidural anesthesia after intravenous induction of anesthesia; the Group II was inserted laryngeal mask after induction; the Group III was inserted laryngeal mask after induction and adopted epidural block. The anesthesia efficacy, hemodynamic changes, adverse reaction and the postoperative complications were observed in the 3 groups.
 RESULTS: Compared with the Group I or the Group II, the blood pressure and heart rate ran more smoothly in the Group III, and the postoperative agitation and incidence of adverse events were also significantly reduced (all P<0.05).
 CONCLUSION: The laryngeal mask airway under general anesthesia combined epidural block is a better choice for children scheduled for hypospadias angioplasty.

[TNF-α induces the release of high mobility group protein B1 through p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase pathway in microglia].

OBJECTIVE: To determine the effect of p38 MAPK inhibitor (SB203580) on TNF-α -induced high mobility group protein B1 (HMGB1) expression in microglial cells.
 METHODS: Microglial cells were treated with TNF-α (25 ng/mL, TNF-α group), TNF-α plus SB203580 (10 µmol/L, TNF-α+SB203580 group), SB203580 (SB203580 group) or serum-free medium (control group). After 16 h of incubation, the protein levels of p-p38 MAPK and HMGB1, and mRNA levels of HMGB1 were examined by ELISA, Western Blot and RT-PCR, respectively.
 RESULTS: There was a significant increase in p-p38 MAPK and HMGB1 levels in TNF-α-treated microglia cells (P<0.01). The TNF-α-induced HMGB1 protein and mRNA expression was suppressed by SB203580.
 CONCLUSION: TNF-α up-regulates HMGB1 expression in microglial cells through activation of the p38 MAPK pathway.

Characterization and biological evaluation of six new dimeric lignans with an unusual α,ß-unsaturated ketone motif from Zanthoxylum simulans.

Investigation of the bark of Zanthoxylum simulans afforded six new dimeric lignans zanthpodocarpins C-H (1-6) bearing an unusual α,ß-unsaturated ketone group. The new structures of 1-6 were determined by using detailed spectroscopic analysis. All of the isolated compounds were examined for their inhibitory effects against rat joint synovial cell and splenocyte proliferation. Compounds 1-6 showed potent anti-inflammatory activities with IC50 values ranging from 18.6 to 36.1µM, and 13.8 to 74.3µM.

The lamellae-free-type pseudobranch of the euryhaline milkfish (Chanos chanos) is a Na(+), K(+)-ATPase-abundant organ involved in hypoosmoregulation.

In teleosts, the pseudobranch is hemibranchial, with a gill-like structure located near the first gill. We hypothesized that the pseudobranch of the milkfish might exhibit osmoregulatory ability similar to that of the gills. In this study, the obtained Na(+), K(+)-ATPase (NKA) activity and protein abundance profiles showed that these parameters were higher in the pseudobranchs of the seawater (SW)- than the freshwater (FW)-acclimated milkfish, opposite the situation in the gills. The pseudobranch of the milkfish contained two types of NKA-immunoreactive cells, chloride cells (CCs) and pseudobranch-type cells (PSCs). To further clarify the roles of CCs and PSCs in the pseudobranch, we investigated the distributions of two ion transporters: the Na(+), K(+), 2Cl(-) cotransporter (NKCC) and the cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator (CFTR). NKCC on the basolateral membrane and CFTR on the apical membrane were found only in pseudobranchial CCs of SW-acclimated individuals. Taken together, the results distinguished NKA-IR CCs and PSCs in the pseudobranch of milkfish using antibodies against NKCC and CFTR as markers. In addition, increases in the numbers and sizes of CCs as well as in NKA expression observed upon salinity challenge indicated the potential roles of pseudobranchs in hypo-osmoregulation in this euryhaline teleost.

Progression of periodontal inflammation in adolescents is associated with increased number of Porphyromonas gingivalis, Prevotella intermedia, Tannerella forsythensis, and Fusobacterium nucleatum.

OBJECTIVE: The study aims to evaluate the change of related subgingival periodontopathogens among different stage of gingivitis in adolescent and assess the relationship between periodontopathogens and the progression of periodontal inflammation. METHODS: A total of 77 subgingival plaque samples from 35 adolescent individuals were divided into three groups including gingivitis group (mild, 15 samples; moderate, 16 samples; severe, 15 samples), chronic periodontitis group (15 samples) and healthy group (15 samples). Real-time PCR was used to quantitate Porphyromonas gingivalis, Prevotella intermedia, Tannerella forsythensis, and Fusobacterium nucleatum in subgingival plaque samples. RESULTS: All species, except for F. nucleatum, were detected in samples from gingivitis and periodontitis groups in significantly greater number than in those from healthy group (P < 0.05). In gingivitis groups, the number of P. gingivalis, T. forsythensis, and F. nucleatum in moderate and severe gingivitis groups was significantly higher than in mild gingivitis group (P < 0.05). After merging moderate gingivitis and severe gingivitis groups into moderate-to-severe gingivitis group, the four periodontopathogens were detected in samples from periodontitis group in significantly greater number than in those from moderate-to-severe gingivitis group (P < 0.05). CONCLUSION: The number of P. gingivalis, P. intermedia, T. forsythensis, and F. nucleatum in subgingival plaque increases with progression of periodontal inflammation in adolescents. Examination of periodontopathogens number in adolescents may be of some value for monitoring of periodontal disease development.

circNINL facilitates aerobic glycolysis, proliferation, invasion, and migration in lung cancer by sponging miR-3918 to mediate FGFR1 expression.

Previously characterized as an oncogenic player in breast cancer, the function of circular RNA NINL (circNINL) in lung cancer (LC) remained elusive. This study aimed to delineate the biological role of circNINL in LC and to unveil its potential molecular mechanisms. We discovered elevated expression levels of circNINL and Fibroblast Growth Factor Receptor 1 (FGFR1) concomitant with diminished expression of microRNA-3918 (miR-3918) in LC specimens. Knockdown of circNINL led to a marked decrease in cell proliferation, migration, invasion, and aerobic glycolysis, alongside an upsurge in apoptosis in LC cells. Either downregulation of miR-3918 or overexpression of FGFR1 mitigated the suppressive impact of circNINL knockdown on LC pathogenesis. Mechanistic studies validated that circNINL served as a competitive endogenous RNA for miR-3918, thus influencing FGFR1 expression. Further, in vivo experiments using nude mouse xenograft models underscored that silencing circNINL substantially curtailed tumor growth in LC. Collectively, these findings illuminate that circNINL exacerbates LC malignancy via the miR-3918/FGFR1 axis, a process integrally linked with the activation of aerobic glycolysis.

Back pressure generated by downwash and crosswind on spatial atomization characteristics during UAV spraying: CFD analysis and verification.

BACKGROUND: During unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) spraying, downwash and crosswind generate back pressure in comprehensive, which changes in spatial atomization characteristics of spraying droplets. However, the process of such atomization characteristics needs to be clarified. This study focuses on the effect of rotor speed and crosswind speed on spatial atomization characteristics. The computational fluid dynamics (CFD) models of the distributions of airflow, back pressure and atomization characteristics were established, and verification was conducted by developing a validation platform. RESULTS: The CFD results indicated that small droplets of 65-130 µm atomized by negative pressure would be coalesced near the nozzle, while large droplets of 390-520 µm atomized by positive pressure would be aggregated further away. Crosswind caused atomization stratification with droplet sizes of approximately 90 µm, 320 µm and 390 µm. When crosswind speed increased from 3 m/s to 6 m/s, the spraying drifted from 0.5 m to 1 m. When rotor speed increased from 2000 RPM to 3000 RPM, droplet distribution was expanded and droplet particle size was more uniform. Verification results demonstrated that the spraying distribution and the droplet size variation were consistent with the CFD. CONCLUSIONS: Spatial atomization characteristics were highly correlated with airflow and back pressure. Moreover, as crosswind generated droplet drift and atomization stratification and downwash could improve the uniformity of droplet distribution, spraying performance was superior by enhancing downwash to restrain the adverse effect of crosswind in real applications. © 2023 Society of Chemical Industry.

Tibial cortex transverse transport promotes ischemic diabetic foot ulcer healing via enhanced angiogenesis and inflammation modulation in a novel rat model.

BACKGROUND: Tibial Cortex Transverse Transport (TTT) represents an innovative surgical method for treating lower extremity diabetic foot ulcers (DFUs), yet its underlying mechanisms remain elusive. Establishing an animal model that closely mirrors clinical scenarios is both critical and novel for elucidating the mechanisms of TTT. METHODS: We established a diabetic rat model with induced hindlimb ischemia to mimic the clinical manifestation of DFUs. TTT was applied using an external fixator for regulated bone movement. Treatment efficacy was evaluated through wound healing assessments, histological analyses, and immunohistochemical techniques to elucidate biological processes. RESULTS: The TTT group demonstrated expedited wound healing, improved skin tissue regeneration, and diminished inflammation relative to controls. Marked neovascularization and upregulation of angiogenic factors were observed, with the HIF-1α/SDF-1/CXCR4 pathway and an increase in EPCs being pivotal in these processes. A transition toward anti-inflammatory M2 macrophages indicated TTT's immunomodulatory capacity. CONCLUSION: Our innovative rat model effectively demonstrates the therapeutic potential of TTT in treating DFUs. We identified TTT's roles in promoting angiogenesis and modulating the immune system. This paves the way for further in-depth research and potential clinical applications to improve DFU management strategies.

[Study on chemical constituents of Zanthoxyli cortex's ethyl acetate extract].

OBJECTIVE: To study the chemical constituents of Zanthoxyli Cortex. METHODS: The chemical constituents were isolated and purified by silica gel and HP-20, MCI gel, Sephadex LH -20 column chromatography, RP-18 and PTLC. Their structures were elucidated by the analysis of spectral data and chemical properties. RESULTS: Ten compounds were isolated from EtOAc extract and their structures were identified as: asarinin (I), fargesin (II), eudesmin (III), (1R, 2R, 5R, 6S)-2-(3,4-dimethoxyphenyl)-6-(3,4-dihydroxyphenyl)-3,7-dioxabicyclo[3.3.0]-octane(IV), dimethoxysamin(V), rel-(1R,5R,6S)-6-(3,4-dimethoxyphen-yl)-3,7-dioxabicyclo-[3.3.0]-octan-2-one(VI), Magnone A(VII), beta-sitoste-rol( VIII), beta-armyrin(IX), beta-amyrone(X). CONCLUSION: These compounds isolated from Zanthoxyli Cortex's Ethyl acetate extract are all known compounds. Fargesin(II) and beta-amyrone(X) are isolated from Zanthoxyli Cortex for the first time.

Efficacy and safety of unilateral tibial cortex transverse transport on bilateral diabetic foot ulcers: A propensity score matching study.

Background: Tibial Cortex Transverse Transport (TTT) has been demonstrated to be an effective treatment for unilateral diabetic foot ulcers (UDFUs). However, this retrospective study was designed to compare the efficacy and safety of unilateral TTT on bilateral diabetic foot ulcers (BDFUs). Methods: This retrospective study included a review of patients with TTT treated from January 2017 to August 2019, Propensity Score Matching (PSM) was performed to compare patients with BDFUs to those with UDFUs. Ulcer healing, recurrence, and major amputation rates were evaluated at 1-year follow-up. Changes in foot vessels were assessed in the BDFUs group using computed tomography angiography (CTA). Results: A total of 140 patients with DFUs (106 UDFUs and 34 BDFUs) were included in the study. UDFUs and BDFUs were matched in a 1:1 ratio (34 in each group) using PSM. No significant difference was observed at 1-year-follow-up [91.2% (31/34) vs. 76.5% (26/34), OR 0.315 (95% CI 0.08 to 1.31), P â€‹= â€‹0.10] and 6-month-follow-up [70.6% (24/34) vs. 50.0% (17/34), OR 0.85 (95% CI 0.15 to 1.13), P â€‹= â€‹0.08] in two groups. Significant differences in rates of major amputation and recurrence between the groups (P â€‹> â€‹0.05) were not observed. The BDFUs group appeared more angiogenesis of the foot by CTA after 8 weeks of operation. Conclusion: Results of this study suggest that severe BDFUs can be effectively treated by unilateral TTT. TTT is easy to operate and effective, which may be a good alternative for treating severe BDFUs. The translational potential of this article: In previous retrospective clinical studies, TTT has demonstrated promising clinical outcomes in the management of diabetic foot ulcers. In this current study, we aim to investigate the potential use of TTT in treating distant tissue defects by evaluating the limited availability and safety of TTT for the management of bilateral diabetic foot. While additional basic and clinical research is necessary to fully elucidate the underlying mechanisms, our study offers insight into the potential therapeutic use of TTT for this condition.

Downwash characteristics and analysis from a six-rotor unmanned aerial vehicle configured for plant protection.

BACKGROUND: One theoretical advantage of using unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) to spray pesticides for maturing corn is that the strong downwash penetrates canopies. However, only few studies have been conducted to examine in-canopy downwash characteristics. This paper investigated the downwash by a six-rotor UAV in mature cornfields. 3D wind speeds in corn canopies and an open area were measured, and comparisons conducted. RESULTS: The downwash by the UAV resulted in in-canopy maximum wind speeds. Z-dimensional downwash was sensitive to all factors, whereas the X- and Y-dimensional downwashes were related to layers and crop positions. Meanwhile, when comparing with the downwash between a 2 m hovering position and the optimal flight parameters, the X-dimensional and Y-dimensional motion time of top-layer downwash generally advanced by 3.8 s and 1.6 s, whereas both motion time and the strength of the Z-dimensional downwash were impeded by ≈2.2-s hysteresis at middle layers and ≈4.5-s time reduction, respectively. Thus, combined with distributions, the corn on the left or right might not be sprayed sufficiently. Furthermore, under the convergence requirement error of 0.01, the overall correlation of the model was ≈0.846 in terms of the Z-dimensional downwash and ≈0.55 and 0.61 for the X- and Y-dimensions, respectively. CONCLUSION: The selection of operation parameters should mainly consider the Z-dimensional downwash. The optimal operation parameters were a height of 2 m with a speed of 4 m s-1 . Meanwhile, the canopy effect could influence the uniformity, motion and strength of downwash. Predictions could be achieved before operation. © 2022 Society of Chemical Industry.

Somatic nuclear auto-antigenic sperm protein sensitizes human breast cancer cells to 5-Fluorouracil.

PURPOSE: To assess the potential role of nuclear auto-antigenic sperm protein (NASP) in the cellular sensitivity to 5-Fluorouracil (5-FU) in breast cancer cells. METHODS: The expression of two NASP isotypes, namely somatic NASP (sNASP) and testis NASP (tNASP) in breast cancer lines were detected under 5-FU treatment using real-time polymerase chain reaction and western blot assays. NASP effect on cellular viability and apoptosis under 5-FU treatment were evaluated. The interaction between NASP and its downstream proteins were evaluated using the co-immunoprecipitation (Co-IP) assays. RESULTS: 5-FU significantly decreased the mRNA and protein expression levels of sNASP. Inhibition of sNASP increased cellular viability, colony formation ability, but reduced apoptosis in tested cell lines in response to 5-FU, which were reversed by sNASP over-expression. Further study reveals 5-FU disrupts sNASP/TNF receptor-associated factor 6 (TRAF6) complex, potentiates cellular sensitivity to 5-FU via NK-kB. CONCLUSION: Our findings suggest sNASP is a novel molecular target having potential to overcome the resistance to 5-FU in breast cancer cells.

Stereoscopic plant-protection system integrating UAVs and autonomous ground sprayers for orchards.

For orchard plant protection, conventional large machines and small sprayers are practically restricted by either narrow planting intervals with dense leaves or their inadequate penetration power, which leads to an unsatisfactory effect of spray. This paper proposes a stereoscopic plant-protection strategy that integrates unmanned air and ground sprayers to spray different parts of canopies to improve uniformity. In order to verify the proposal, a stereoscopic plant-protection system (SPS) was developed, consisting of a small swing-arm sprayer and a T16 plant-protection Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV). Then, optimal operation parameters were determined by Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) and orthogonal experiments, and the uniformity was finally quantified by trials. CFD and orthogonal experiments showed that a swing-arm angle of 60° and a forward speed of 0.4 m/s were optimal for the ground sprayer, whilst a height of 2.0 m from the top of canopies and a forward speed of 1.0 m/s were appropriate for the UAV. The trial results showed that the density of vertical droplet deposition varied from 90 to 107 deposits/cm2 in canopies, and the uniformity was 38.3% higher than conventional approaches. The uniformity of top, bottom, inside and outside canopies was significantly improved. Meanwhile, the density of droplet deposition on both sides of leaves in all test points exceeded 25 deposits/cm2, able to meet the standard of spray. This study provides a practical approach for uniform pesticide spray to large-canopy fruit trees. Moreover, the high flexibility of plant-protection UAVs and the significant trafficability of small swing-arm sprayers can solve the problem of large machine entering and leaving orchards.